Stretcher



D. SACKS Aug. 23, 1955 STRETCHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 20. 1953 D.SACKS Aug. 23, 1955 STRETCHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 20, 19532,715,737 Patented Aug. 23, 1955 United States Patent Ofifice STRETCHERDavid Sacks, Linden, N. J. Application February 20, 1953, Serial No.337,945

4 Claims. or. 82)

-- This invention relates to stretchers for carrying disabled persons,sometimes called atraumatic carriers.

A prime object of the present invention is to provide a stretcher whichcan be built up under the patient when he is lying prone on the ground,floor or other supporting surface so as to cause a minimum ofdisturbance to him, which can readily and comfortably support him duringtransportation, and which can readily be placed upon a bed or the likewith the patient thereupon and disassembled so as to transfer thepatient to the bed in a gentle manner with a minimum of disturbance.

' Another object of the invention is to provide a stretcher with slopingbody bearing panels which can be separately and freely maneuvered overthe ground, accommodating themselves to the shape of the ground whenbeing inserted under the patient. 7

A further object of the invention is to provide a stretcher which can bereadily assembled and disassembled.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a stretcher withreadily attachable and detachable handles.

It is further proposed to construct a stretcher which is simple anddurable in construction, is sanitary and which can be manufactured at areasonable cost.

For a further comprehension of the invention and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Figure l is a top plan view of a stretcher embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of the stretcher on the ground.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 33 of Figure1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the plane of the line 44of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the plane of the line5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the plane of the line6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a spread perspective view of the stretcher.

Referring in detail to the drawings, a stretcher made in accordance withthe invention comprises a pair of elongated rigid panels 1 and 2, ofwood, plastic or other suitable material, forming the bearing surface ofthe stretcher. Each panel is laminated and consists of a plurality ofplanks 3 cemented or otherwise suitably fastened together. The panel hasa plane bottom surface 4 as viewed in Figure 7 and its top surface,adjacent its outer edge, is also plane as indicated at 5, but theremainder of the top surface is tapered or beveled thereby forming asloping surface 6, terminating in a narrow edge 7.

The panels are connected together at their ends by detachable end framemembers 8, each consisting of an elongated block 9 of wood or the like,with its upper sur face, as shown in Figure 7, formed with anenlargement 10, at its center. A metal strap 11 is positioned over theupper surface of the block and is provided with a plane central portion12 secured to the top surface of the enlargement by bolts 13 and nuts14. The strap tapers outwardly and upwardly from each end of its centralportion 12 and continues into a plane end portion 15 and thencedownwardly at right angles to the end portion, as indicated at 16,terminating in an inwardly extending flange portion 17. The flangeportions seat flush in cutout portions 18, on the bottom surface of theblock 9, at both ends thereof, and are secured by screws 19. Spaces oropenings are thus provided above the ends of the block, which spacesconform in shape to the cross-sectional shapes of the panels 1 and 2 andslidably and fittingly receive the ends of the panels. An elongated slot21 is formed in each panel, along its wide edge, at each end thereof,and covering said slot is a channel-shaped plate 22 secured to the panelby screws 23.

The end frame members 8 are adapted to be slipped over the ends of thepanels 1 and 2 for detachably fastening the panels at their ends. Eachend frame member is yieldingly held in fastening position by aprotuberance 24 pressed inwardly from the outer surface of each portion16 of the strap 11 engaging in one of a pair of spaced depressions 25formed in the outer surface of each channel-shaped plate 22.

Elongated handle members 26 are detachably inserted into the slots 21 atthe corners of the stretcher, each J handle member consisting of a flatshank portion 27 formed of bar metal, with a hand gripping portion 28extending from one end thereof. The shank portion is yieldingly held inthe slot against displacement by a depression 29 on the shank engagingthe other depression 25 of the pair of depressions on the channel-plate22. A suitable cover 30 may be placed over the gripping portion 28 ofthe handle member for better gripping purposes.

Strap sections 31, with buckles 32, are hingedly connected to theslotted ends of plate 34 secured to the under surface of panel 1 byscrews 35, and opposed perforated strap sections 36 are similarlyconnected to the other panel 2, whereby a patient may be securelystrapped onto the panels of the stretcher.

The end frame members 8 in addition to tying the panels together alsoserve to reinforce the ends of the stretcher and to support the panelsoff of the ground as shown in Figure 2.

In practical use, when it is desired to transport a patient, who islying on the ground or floor, the stretcher is disassembled and the longnarrow edge of one of the panels placed alongside the patient. The panelis then manipulated until it is under the body of the patient, the shapeof the panel and the fact that it is not tied to any other part of thestretcher permitting this manipulation. The other panel is thensimilarly positioned and inserted under the patient until the opposednarrow edges of the panels are in proper spaced position to receive theend frame members 8. Each end frame member is readily mounted by placingit close to the ends of the panels as shown in Figure 7, passing thehandle members 26 through the spaces 20 thereof and inserting the shankportions 27 thereof in the slots 21 of the panels. When both handlemembers are thus inserted, the ends of the panels may be readily liftedby the handle members and the end frame member 8 slipped over the handlemembers and over the ends of the panels into interlocking engagementwith the channel-shaped plates 22. When the end frame members 8 are thusfastened, the patient is strapped to the panels by the strap sections 31and 36, ready for transportation. At the point of destination, thestretcher with the patient strapped thereon may be readily placed 3 on abed or the like. The stretcher may be readily disassembled and removedfrom under the patient by mere- 1y removing the handle members 26 andend frame memi fications' coming within the scope of the invention asdefinediin' the appended claims. For example, other suitable means thanthe protuberances 24 and 29 and the corresponding depressions 25 may beutilized for separably connectingvthe end frame members to the panelsand the handles to the panels; the panels 1 and2 may be constructed of"one piece of material rather than the plurality of: pieces 3 cementedtogether, and the end frame members-may beformed wholly of metal insteadof the wooden base piece and metal strip as shown.

What I claimis:

1. In a stretcher, a pair of tapered panels in spaced relationship', anddetachable end frame members fastening the ends ofsaid panels, eachframe member consisting of an elongated block, an enlargement at thecenter of the uppcr'surface of the block, a strap having a portionfastened to the top of said enlargement and having its ends secured tothe under surface of the block, the remainder of the strap being spacedfrom the block to provide spaces to receivethe ends of the panels.

2 A stretchercomprising two rigid elongate panel sections; each of whichis tapered in cross-section so that the panel, section is thinner at onelongitudinal edge than at the opposite longitudinal edge, a handlesecured tothe 4 V V hi ker long tudinal edg at ea h nd of a h qisidnanel sections and projecting longitudinally beyond said end, and twosimilar rigid end frames each having two openings, each openingconforming in shape and size to the cross sectional shape and size ofeach of said panel sections to slidably telescopically receive one endof one'of said panel sections, whereby; said panel sections may be laidfiat on a supporting surface in parallel relation to each other withtheir thinner edges in juxtaposed spaced relation and slid beneath aperson to be carried, after which said end frames may be slid' over saidhandles and the corresponding endsof said panel ections'toflrmly connectsaid panelsections together.

3. A stretcher as defined in' claim 2 with the addition of cooperatingseparable fastener means on said panel sections and said end frames forreleasably locking the end frames on said panels.

4. A stretcher as defined in claim 3 whereinthe'l'astnamed meanscomprises cooperating 'protubera'nces and recesses on the inner side ofone wallof each of -said openings in the end frames and on the outersurface ofeach of said handles, whereby as said end framesare telescopically slid onto said panel sections, said projections willseatinthecooperative recesses.v =1

References- Cited in the file. of thisipatent UNITED STATES PATENTS'Gomelslii my 4;, 1950

